Street-indicator for railways.



No. 739,189.. PATENTED sBPT.15,19os. .f 1i.. m mem'.

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UNITED STATES Ikatented September 15, 1909.

IsAA'c M.A Koor-I, vor oLnvnLAND,o1-iio.

STREET-INDICATOR FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,189, dated September 15, 1903. Application filed .Tune 18, 1900. Serial No. 2037,82. (No modela) electrically-operated street-indicators for rai l`- way-cars, and pertains'more especially to a street-indicator designed for a ca r of an electric railway wherein the overhead trolley-wire or power-conductor is employed.

The invention consists more especially in the combination, with an 'endless belt that bears the names of the streets to be indicated, of mechanical means for actuating the said belt and electrical apparatus arranged and adapted to automatically operate the said belt-actuating means at the required time and to the required extent.

y My invention consists also in certain meritorious features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation, largely in vertical section, of the upper portion of a railway-car and shows the overhead trolley-wire or power-con ductorof an electric railway and apparatus embodyingmyinvention. Portionsarebroken away inthis figure to reduce the size of the drawing.

Fig. II is a side elevation, invertical section, of a box or case that contains the street-name-bearing belt of the street-indica!l tor, the mechanical means employed in actuating the said belt, and a portion of the electrical apparatus employed in operatingthe said belt-actuating means.l Fig. Ill is an elevation, partly in section, showing some of the parts illustrated in Fig. Il on a larger scale. Fig. IV is a side elevation of the upperor free end portion of the trolley-pole of the car and a portion of the electrical apparatus employed in operating the belt-actuating meche anism. Fig. V is an elevation in vertical section online V V, Fig. 1V. Fig. VI is a front side elevation of a portion of the case that contains the street-name-bearing belt and shows the window in the front side of the said case th rough which the names appearing upon the belt are successively exhibited. Portions are broken away and in section in this ligure hanger 20, that is mounted upon the wire d in any approved manner, as shown in Fig. V.

A case or box fis suitably supported within and from the forward end of the car, preferably near the top of the car. Within this case, preferably about centrally between the bottom and top of the case, is suitably supported a shaft g, that is arranged horizontally and transversely ofthe case and supported,

preferably, from the side walls of thepcase, as

shown in Fig. VI. Two corresponding sprocket-wheels 25 and 25 are 'operatively mounted upon the shaft g a suitable distance apart, and each of the said wheels is operatively engaged by an endless chain 26, that forms a portion of an endless belt that consists of the two chains 26 and the street-name-bearing cards or plates 27, that extend from chain to chain and are secured to the chains in any approved manner. Each plate or card 27 bears, of course, the name of a street or station upon its outer side. The forward side or front of lthe case f, forwardly of and between the sprocket-wheels, is provided with a window 40, through which the name of the street appearing upon the card or plate 27, that is opposite to the said window, is visible. The card or plate`27, that is shown opposite the window 40 -in Fig. VI, bears Ythev name 114th, that is visible through the said window and indicates that the next street that isto be crossed or passed by the car will be One hundred and fourteenth street. Obviously the formation of the aforesaid streetname-bearing belt is comparatively simple, and consequently inexpensive.

The mechanism employed for rotating the sprocket-wheels 26, and thereby actuating the belt, comprises, preferably, a ratchet-wheel 29, (see Fig. 11,) that is operatively mounted upon the shaft g between one of the sprocketwheels and the adjacent side wall of the case. The wheel 29 is engaged by a pawl 30, that is pivoted horizontally and transversely of the case, as at 3l, to the lower end of an upright armature 32, that is pivoted at any suitable point between its upper and lower ends, as at 33, horizontally and transversely of the case to an arm or bracket 34, that projects forwardly from and is rigid with the back of the case, as shown in Fig. II. A suitably-applied spring 35 is interposed be'- tween the upper end of the armature 32 and the inner side ofthe back of the case and has opposite ends thereof suitably secured to the said back and the armature, respectively. The spring 35 acts to retain the armature and the connected pawl in their normal position. The arrangement of the parts is such that the street-name-bearing belt is actuated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. II, and to the extent required to intermittently move the said belt a distance equal to the distance between the centers of two adjacent plates or cards 27 of the belt, so that every time the pawl is actuated the belt is moved the distance required to exhibit the next succeeding name thereon at the window 40. The armature 32 is arranged to render it capable of being attracted by an electric magnet h. An electric source-such, for instance, as an electric battery c-contained within the casef has its opposite terminals normally electrically con- .nected with different contacts n and o, re-

spectively, supported from the outer or free end portion ofthe trolley-pole. The contact 0 is electrically insulated, as at 36, (see Figs. IV and V,) from its support, that consists, preferably, of a clip, sleeve, or collar 37, fixed upon the trolley-pole in any approved manner. The contact o is electrically connected with one terminal of the electric source 7c by an electric line 38, and the magnet h forms a part of the said line, and the other terminal of the electric source 7c is electrically connected by an electric line 39 with the contact n. The contact nis supported in such a manner as to render it capable of tilting ina vertical plane longitudinally of the car, and consequently longitudinally of the power-conductor c. The relatively stationary contact o is arranged in such proximity to the movable contact n that it, the said contact o, shall be adapted to be electrically engaged by the lower end of the contact n upon tilting the latter in the direction and to the extent required. Obviously, therefore, when the contact n is tilted into engagement with the contact o the electric circuit that includes the said contacts, the lines 3S and 39, the electromagnet h, and the electric source k is closed and results in the energizing of the said magnet and in the attraction by the magnet of the armature 32, and the arrange ment of the parts is such that when the said armature is attracted by the magnet the pawl 30 is moved in the direction required to rotate the ratchet-wheel 29, and consequently actuate the street-name-bearing belt.

The tiltable contact n is pivoted, preferably, centrally between its upper and lower ends, as at 50, to and between the two upwardly-projecting ears 5l and 5l, that are formed upon an arm 52, projecting laterally of the trolley-pole and formed upon or integral with the clip, sleeve, or collar 37, as shown in Figs. 1V and V. The arm 52 has its upper side, as shown in Fig. V, provided with a recess 53, and the contact 0 is seated within the said recess. A suitably-applied torsional spring r, that is coiled upon the pivot 50 at one side of the contact fn., acts to retain the said contact in its upright and normal position ont of engagement with the relatively stationary contact o, and obviously the contact n when the electric circuit hereinbefore described is closed by the actuation of the said contact n in the required direction is moved against the action ofthe spring o.

Means for automatically actuating the contact n into an operative position is provided and comprises, preferably, an arm s, depending from and rigid with the cross-wire d and arranged in the path of the upper end of the contact n, so that the said arm s when the contact n during the propulsion of the car comes into engagement with the said arm will actuate the said contact n as required to bring the lower end of the said contact n into electrical engagement with the relatively stationary contact 0, and thereby close the electric circuit required to energize the magnet h and result in the operation of the mechanical means employed in actuating the streetname-bearing belt. The supporting of the trolley-wire or power-conductor of an elec tric-railway system employing the overhead power-conductor is so well understood that a minute description thereof is not necessary in this application. Suiiiceitto state that the cross-wire d, provided with the arm s, participating in the operation of the street'indicator for any particular street, is located far enough in advance of the said street to give a passenger who desires to alight at the said street suiiicient notice. The arrangement of parts is such also that if it should become necessary for any reason to run the car backwardly after passing the arm s in a forward direction the contact fn shall be free to be tilted by the arm s, but not far enough to establish electrical connection between the upper end of the said contact and the relatively stationary contact 0. I would remark also that, as shown in. Fig. I, the line 39 has a branch 49, that leads to and is electrically connected with a tiltable contact t, that is suitably pivoted, as at 60, to a bracket 61, secured to the upper portion of the rear end of the car, and is arranged to be tilted into IOO IIO

. position.

-Wall 42 of the said slot.

electrical engagement -with the relatively stationary contact u, that is electrically connected to a branch 48 of the line 38. provision of the contacts u and Z and their connection with the lines 48 and 49, respectively, it will be observed that should it become necessary to cut out for any reason a portion of the regular route of the car the conductor or operative of the car can by tilting the contact Z into electrical engagement with the Contact u close the electric circuit hereinbefore described and advance the street-indicating belt the distance required by reason of such omission of a portion of the route.

Two contacts Z and m, that are arranged within the case f, form a portion of the line- 39, as shown more clearly in Figs. Ill and VI.

The contact Z is stationary, being secured to,

Ait electrically engages the contact Z. A downward movement ot the contact m from the contact Z causes a break in the line 39 and prevents closing of the electric circuit required to operate the street-indicator by either ot' the two ways hereinbefore described. Obviously, therefore, if the car had to be backed up beyond one or more streets or stations that had already been indicated by the street-indicator the conductor or operative of the car would preparatory to the backing of the car break the line 39 by moving the contact m out of engagement with the contact Z and leave the said line thus broken until the car after being backed up has again Aadvanced the distance that it had been moved rearwardly. The contact m extends through a slot 4l (see Figs. III and VI) that is formed inthe adjacent side wall of the case fand accommodates the location of the said contact and the movement of the contact from its upper and normal position into its lower position, wherein it rests upon the lower The contact m at its outer end outside of the case fhas a depending arm'55, that at its lower end is provided with a bolt 56, arranged to engagea hole 46, formed in the'casef in the upper and normal position of the said contact, and thereby lock the contact in its normal position. The bolt 56 extends into and is arranged to operate endwise of a bore 57, formed in the lower end of the arm 55, and has its inner'end provided with a stem 58, that extends through the saidbore outside of the arm and terminates at its outer end in a handle 59. A spiral spring 'w is confined upon the bolts stem 58 within the bore 57 and acts to retain the bolt in its operative Obviously the bolt must be disengaged from the case f against the action of the spring w preparatory to lowering the contact m out of engagement with the contact Z. The contact m at its inner end is provided with a card or plate'p, that is soldered Bythey or otherwise secured to the said contactdn any approved manner and has the arrangement and size required to cover the window 40 at the windows inner side when the contact is lowered as aforesaid; but of course the arrangement of theparts is such that in the upper and normal position of they contact fm its card or plate p will be arranged above the window. Obviously the covering of the inner 'side of the window 40, and thereby preventing a view of the street-indicating-belt, is to prevent a passenger from being mislead during the period of time required to back up the car and again advance the car to the place at which the rearward movement of the car begun.

The front of the casefis slotted, as at 43,

. (see Fig. IIL) to accommodate the location of the wire ofthe line 39. A suitably-supported pawl 65, arranged within and suitably supported from the case f, engages the ratchet-Wheel 29 and positively prevents'a return movement of the saidwheel. A gong 66 within and supported from the casef has the arrangement required to render it capable of being struck and sounded, whenever the said armature 32 is attracted by the magnet Zt, by a hammer 67, that is formed upon the said armature. v

What I claim is---` 1.4 In an electricallycontrolled street or station indicator, the combination with a car, of an indicator carried thereby, an electric circuit, means for closing said -circuit to operate the indicator, means for breaking the circuit to prevent operation of the indicator', and means for obstructing the view of the indicator when the circuit is broken and adapted to operate simultaneously with the breaking ofthe circuit, substantially as specied.

2. In an electrically-controlled street or station indicator, the combination with a car, of an indicator carried thereby, an electric circuit, means for closing the circuit to 0pperate the indicator, a switch interposed in said circuit whereby the circuit may be broken to prevent operation of the indicator, and means carried by the switch for obstructing the view of the indicator when the circuit is broken and adapted to operate simultaneously with the breaking of the circuit, sub- IIO dow according as the movable Contact is in Y the one or the' other of its positions.-

the arrangement of parts being such that the said card or plate shall not or shall obstruct 15 the View through the aforesaid Window according as the movable contact is in engagement with the stationary contact or moved into its opposite position.

Signed by me at Cleveland, Ohio, this 13th zo day of June, 1900.

ISAAC M. KOCH.

Witnesses:

C. H. DORER, A. H. PARRATT. 

